Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Fundraising ideas?

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Tallsor
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Joined: 2/24/04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 63

Posted: 11/11/09 at 12:41am

Okay, for those of you still 'watching' this board:

I'm helping a local arts organization - they do theatre and visual arts. They have a local celebrity (a newscaster from one of the TV stations) interested AND willing to help out with a fundraiser.

So ... what kind of fundraiser should we do that utilizes her involvement the most? I know we should probably have her host or emcee something possibly, or judge something - but wanted to see if anyone else had any ideas....

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
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Posts: 1181

Posted: 11/12/09 at 8:32pm

Cast her in a production!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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John Luzaich
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Joined: 2/24/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 174

Posted: 11/13/09 at 12:46pm

I agree with Joe. Put her in a show. We did that with a popular news anchor in our area . He's busy with the 5, 6 & 10pm news. So, we put him in a small part at the beginning of the show (within the first half hour). He could still do the 6pm news, do our show, and be back to the TV station long before his prep time for the 10pm news. It was great and his "fame" helped generate a lot of buzz in the community.

John
cfct@cfu.net
http://www.osterregent.org
http://www.facebook.com/osterregent

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Tallsor
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Joined: 2/24/04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 63

Posted: 11/13/09 at 3:40pm

Unfortunately, they don't do many theatrical productions, and they're looking for a separate event to involve her. Any other ideas? Thanks!

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MpmsDramaMama
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Joined: 7/27/10
Location: United States
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Posts: 0

Posted: 7/27/10 at 3:19pm

Have her spend a day on a billboard if they raise x dollars or put her in "jail" then she has to raise x dollars for bail and other people can have big wig community people put in jail for x dollars and then they have to raise x dollars in bail money.

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vickifrank
Celebrity

Joined: 9/21/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 332

Posted: 7/27/10 at 4:13pm

Put here on the spot for entertainment and sell tickets or accept donations. She does a few challenges similar to what Drew Carey used to do in "Who's Line is It Anyway?"

The audience gets to pay to see her do a pre-selected (thus clean) set of 'challenges'. The MC awards 'points' and the celebrity's 'goal' is to reach a 1000 points. You have one of the frequent donors sponsor the show by offering to match the collections of the show (up to x dollars) if only she reached a 1000 points. Of course this is somewhat rigged, because the MC awards arbitrary points, but the celebrity can plead with the audience to let her do "just one more challenge"--which of course they pay for by throwing money in a hat.

It will work best if you can get a second celebrity or very funny person to be the MC.

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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John Luzaich
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Joined: 2/24/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 174

Posted: 10/28/10 at 4:46pm

We held an auction last month (both slient & live) and raised over $8,000. (11,000 revenues & $3,000 expenses). We held the "Director's Cup" golf tourney in the summer and raised over $3,000. We've also sold raffle tickets like many theatres. This year, we're presenting a movie series. Started with older movies and going towards more current, once a month. Free will offering only. We showed a Buster Keaton comedy, then "Stagecoach" with John Wayne, "Pajama Game" with Doris Day, "White Christmas", "Hard Days Night" with the Beatles. You find a sponsor to cover expenses to present the movie and the free will offering is your theatre's to keep. We're doing the same thing with a concert series. Find bands or groups to donate their time/gig and do a free will offering and the theatre keeps the profits. We had a sold out Celtic concert and are looking to do that with a gospel concert and again with a jazz concert. Just some ideas.

John
cfct@cfu.net
http://www.osterregent.org
http://www.facebook.com/osterregent

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Nyria
Celebrity

Joined: 1/20/05
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 157

Posted: 1/10/11 at 5:20pm

Here are some ideas I have stolen.

-Princess Party: If you are doing a children's show you can have a little VIP meet and great afterwards for kids. (We are doing a cupcake party for the wizard of oz since there are no proncesses in it).

Peole buy special tickets that include the show and then a 'VIP' party afterwards where they meet the cast.

- Roses: Have roses with little notecards at the front entry way. then people can buy them and have them sent to actors backstage. Get a local florist to donate these.

-Cast photo - get a framed picsture of the cast and auction it off. I have never tried this but I have heard of it =)

NYRIA

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dramacorrect
Lead
Lead

Joined: 3/09/09
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 33

Posted: 1/12/11 at 11:43pm

http://www.squidoo.com/communitytheatrefundraising

Here are some ideas that I made a lens on. They're not promotional events, exactly, but they can all be done online. I've actually done all of these, and raised a total of $26,000 for a theatre I used to work for.

Theatre Articles
Web Apps to Save Money
Community Theatre Fundraising

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Danny Beans
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Joined: 4/14/11
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 4/14/11 at 3:28pm

Hi, folks. First post!

One very simple method that has proven successful for my groups over the years is to put out a tip jar. It's nothing big or obtrusive or preachy - just a clear container with a sign that says something along the lines of "If you enjoyed this show and would like to show a little extra support for theater in our community, donations are always welcome." Most nights we've done this, we've averaged $1.50-$2.00 per head - nothing huge, but a few hundred dollars we wouldn't otherwise have had for almost no effort or investment. And since it's small denominations (usually - though I've found twenties in there before), we tend to get donations from people who normally wouldn't have bothered.

Obviously, the quality of the show will affect the amount of money in the box. All the more reason to give it your best, eh?

"Vox populi, vox humbug!"
- William Tecumseh Sherman

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Money Talk
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Money Talk

Author	Message
Tallsor Star Joined: 2/24/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 63	Posted: 11/11/09 at 12:41am
	Okay, for those of you still 'watching' this board: I'm helping a local arts organization - they do theatre and visual arts. They have a local celebrity (a newscaster from one of the TV stations) interested AND willing to help out with a fundraiser. So ... what kind of fundraiser should we do that utilizes her involvement the most? I know we should probably have her host or emcee something possibly, or judge something - but wanted to see if anyone else had any ideas....
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 11/12/09 at 8:32pm
	Cast her in a production!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

John Luzaich Celebrity Joined: 2/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 174	Posted: 11/13/09 at 12:46pm
	I agree with Joe. Put her in a show. We did that with a popular news anchor in our area . He's busy with the 5, 6 & 10pm news. So, we put him in a small part at the beginning of the show (within the first half hour). He could still do the 6pm news, do our show, and be back to the TV station long before his prep time for the 10pm news. It was great and his "fame" helped generate a lot of buzz in the community.
	John cfct@cfu.net http://www.osterregent.org http://www.facebook.com/osterregent
	IP Logged

Tallsor Star Joined: 2/24/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 63	Posted: 11/13/09 at 3:40pm
	Unfortunately, they don't do many theatrical productions, and they're looking for a separate event to involve her. Any other ideas? Thanks!
	IP Logged

MpmsDramaMama Walk-On Joined: 7/27/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 7/27/10 at 3:19pm
	Have her spend a day on a billboard if they raise x dollars or put her in "jail" then she has to raise x dollars for bail and other people can have big wig community people put in jail for x dollars and then they have to raise x dollars in bail money.
	IP Logged

vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 7/27/10 at 4:13pm
	Put here on the spot for entertainment and sell tickets or accept donations. She does a few challenges similar to what Drew Carey used to do in "Who's Line is It Anyway?" The audience gets to pay to see her do a pre-selected (thus clean) set of 'challenges'. The MC awards 'points' and the celebrity's 'goal' is to reach a 1000 points. You have one of the frequent donors sponsor the show by offering to match the collections of the show (up to x dollars) if only she reached a 1000 points. Of course this is somewhat rigged, because the MC awards arbitrary points, but the celebrity can plead with the audience to let her do "just one more challenge"--which of course they pay for by throwing money in a hat. It will work best if you can get a second celebrity or very funny person to be the MC.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
	IP Logged

John Luzaich Celebrity Joined: 2/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 174	Posted: 10/28/10 at 4:46pm
	We held an auction last month (both slient & live) and raised over $8,000. (11,000 revenues & $3,000 expenses). We held the "Director's Cup" golf tourney in the summer and raised over $3,000. We've also sold raffle tickets like many theatres. This year, we're presenting a movie series. Started with older movies and going towards more current, once a month. Free will offering only. We showed a Buster Keaton comedy, then "Stagecoach" with John Wayne, "Pajama Game" with Doris Day, "White Christmas", "Hard Days Night" with the Beatles. You find a sponsor to cover expenses to present the movie and the free will offering is your theatre's to keep. We're doing the same thing with a concert series. Find bands or groups to donate their time/gig and do a free will offering and the theatre keeps the profits. We had a sold out Celtic concert and are looking to do that with a gospel concert and again with a jazz concert. Just some ideas.
	John cfct@cfu.net http://www.osterregent.org http://www.facebook.com/osterregent
	IP Logged

Nyria Celebrity Joined: 1/20/05 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 157	Posted: 1/10/11 at 5:20pm
	Here are some ideas I have stolen. -Princess Party: If you are doing a children's show you can have a little VIP meet and great afterwards for kids. (We are doing a cupcake party for the wizard of oz since there are no proncesses in it). Peole buy special tickets that include the show and then a 'VIP' party afterwards where they meet the cast. - Roses: Have roses with little notecards at the front entry way. then people can buy them and have them sent to actors backstage. Get a local florist to donate these. -Cast photo - get a framed picsture of the cast and auction it off. I have never tried this but I have heard of it =)
	NYRIA
	IP Logged

dramacorrect Lead Joined: 3/09/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 1/12/11 at 11:43pm
	http://www.squidoo.com/communitytheatrefundraising Here are some ideas that I made a lens on. They're not promotional events, exactly, but they can all be done online. I've actually done all of these, and raised a total of $26,000 for a theatre I used to work for.
	Theatre Articles Web Apps to Save Money Community Theatre Fundraising
	IP Logged

Danny Beans Walk-On Joined: 4/14/11 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/14/11 at 3:28pm
	Hi, folks. First post! One very simple method that has proven successful for my groups over the years is to put out a tip jar. It's nothing big or obtrusive or preachy - just a clear container with a sign that says something along the lines of "If you enjoyed this show and would like to show a little extra support for theater in our community, donations are always welcome." Most nights we've done this, we've averaged $1.50-$2.00 per head - nothing huge, but a few hundred dollars we wouldn't otherwise have had for almost no effort or investment. And since it's small denominations (usually - though I've found twenties in there before), we tend to get donations from people who normally wouldn't have bothered. Obviously, the quality of the show will affect the amount of money in the box. All the more reason to give it your best, eh?
	"Vox populi, vox humbug!" - William Tecumseh Sherman
	IP Logged

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